Manipur hill tribes demand separate states

Outlining atrocities and discriminations meted to the hill tribal people of Manipur, an organisation under the banner of Separate Hill Tribal Areas Administration Demand Committee (SHTAADC), with its headquarters at Tadubi in Senapati district, has proposed for creation of two states within Manipur state.

To bolster the claim, SHTAADC convenor Puni Ashuli Arche said the valley people and the hill tribal people are unable to live together due to different historical, social, cultural, customary practices, traditions and religion etc since inception of statehood in 1972 as such the best option was to create a separate state for hill tribal people and the Imphal valley people.He mentioned that Manipur with its total land area of 22,238 sq km, tribal land area comprised of 20,089 sq km, while it is 2,238 sq km for valley people. Also in the State Assembly of total 60 MLAs, the tribals have 20 MLAs while the Meiteis have 40 MLAs. Manipur has two MPs in Lok Sabha, one for hill area and another one for Imphal valley along with one MP in Rajya Sabha.

Citing example of Goa with 40 MLAs in the Assembly, the Committee asserted that this noble proposal could be done according to the Article No.3, of the Indian Constitution. It said Imphal valley with 40 MLAs fulfils the criteria to form a beautiful new state in India in the same manner as that of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana states.

Stating that the hill tribal people and valley people cannot live peacefully together, the Committee therefore said the best and the most suitable solution is to divide Manipur State into two states.

The Committee further appealed to all civil societies, political parties, intellectuals, religious leaders from all walks of life to think wisely and act now for the betterment of tomorrow and for generations to come.